The Poor Man's Kitchen Playset

Does your toddler love to fiddle around with the high tech kitchen playset perpetually on display at Toy Kingdom, Rustan's, and Toys R Us? The electronic one that comes with its own fridge, stove, oven, appliances, and that cute little clock on top? The one that tugs at your heart and has you imagining raising a little chef - but tears at your wallet with its P10K++ price tag?

Here's the cheaper alternative:

(1) Basket of plastic fruits and vegetables - less than P200, available at Landmark and Toy Kingdom (with the basket, your kid can play shopping too!)

(2) Set of plastic cups, plates, and cookware - less than P200, available at Landmark and Toy Kingdom (get the one with the little stove and sink)

(3) Set of food you can "slice" - less than P500, available at Toy Kingdom (these are plastic pancakes, hamburgers, ice cream, cake, etc. held together by velcro so your child can practice slicing with the plastic knife)

(4) Toy Microwave - less than P2000, available at Toy Kingdom and Rustan's. After watching my child play with the uber expensive kitchen playset, I realized that it was the doors that can open/close that engrossed her and the lights that indicate the food is cooking. The toy microwave serves this same purpose. I got the one that simulates an actual microwave and comes with toy hamburger, chicken, popcorn, hotdog, ketchup, and mustard.

And voila! You have your cheaper alternative to a full kitchen playset! If you're iffy about having your child play with plastic toys, the alternative - though more expensive - are the wooden food and cookware toys available at Rustan's and Hobbes.